📖 "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Thessalonians 5:18
When Paul urges us to give thanks in everything, he does not mean for everything. The Greek word here, en panti (ἐν παντί), speaks of giving thanks in the midst of every circumstance. Gratitude becomes not a denial of pain but a declaration that God is still present, still faithful, still weaving beauty from ashes.
Think of broken pottery mended with gold — gratitude is the gleaming seam that holds us together when life feels cracked. It is the practice of lifting our gaze above what’s lacking and choosing to see His hand at work.
The Hebrew root for “thanks” (yadah, יָדָה) carries the sense of extending the hand — as though surrender and gratitude are intertwined. Each time we give thanks, we open our hands, letting go of control and receiving His goodness afresh.
Gratitude shifts our perspective from scarcity to sufficiency, from despair to hope. It’s a gentle but powerful way of saying: “Lord, You are enough — here, now, always.”
Reflection:
Where in my life have I struggled to give thanks because of pain or disappointment? 🤔
How might gratitude change the way I see God’s presence in that situation? 🤔
What “small seams of gold” can I notice today — simple gifts that remind me of His goodness? 🤔
Life Application:
Affirmation:
Creative Prompt:
Create a gratitude collage — gather photos, words, or painted shapes that symbolise things you are thankful for, both big and small. Let it be imperfect, layered, and real — a testimony that beauty lives even in brokenness.
Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You that Your will for me is not heavy but healing — to live with a thankful heart. Teach me to give thanks not only when life is easy, but also in the hidden and hard places. May gratitude open my eyes to Your nearness and soften my heart to trust You fully. Let thankfulness be the golden seam that keeps me whole in Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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